I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to portable, corrugated or paperboard containers that have been reinforced for rugged use. More particularly, our invention relates to foldable containers suitable for transporting liquid wastes including medical wastes. Prior art that is germane to the invention is located in U.S. Class 229, Subclasses 117, and 177-179.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Portable, box-like containers have been proposed in the prior art for storing a variety of wet or liquid substances, including various medical wastes. For example, prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,527, entitled Foldable, Leak-proof Multimode Carton Construction, issued Nov. 11, 1991 and owned by Wes Pak Inc., the assignee in this case, provides a foldable, leak proof waste container that is “slotless.” The container is foldably deployed from a compact shipping configuration from a flat blank, made of paperboard, cardboard, or corrugated material. Each blank comprises a center panel, a pair of bordering width panels, a pair of bordering length panels, and four corner panels, separate by a plurality of orthogonal and diagonal fold lines that enable foldable deployment. In addition, knock down lines and relief lines formed in the center panel facilitate a “knock-down” feature enabling an assembled carton to be collapsed or flattened for storage. An optional top is disclosed in the patent.
As explained in the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,527, potential dangers associated with the handling and disposal of medical wastes are well recognized. Life-threatening diseases such as hepatitis, AIDS, and others can be contracted through inadvertent contact with contaminated waste materials or medical products such as syringes. Thus numerous attempts exist in the art to provide safe medical waste containers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,386 issued Feb. 16, 1988 to Padgett employs a nonwoven flexible disposal bag which can be stored flat and sealed for sterilization. An alternative embodiment teaches the use of a carton provided with an impermeable plastic seal which can be used for disposal of large objects such as animal cadavers and the like. To prevent contamination during transport, the carton must be heat-sealed or sealed with an adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,497 issued Nov. 15, 1988 to Dutton teaches a flat, paperboard blank which can be conveniently carried and readily assembled into a rectangular carton for disposal of small litter such as cups, cans, and tissues.
Other references of interested include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,801,006 issued Jan. 31, 1989 and 4,724,955, issued Feb. 16, 1988. Both of the last-mentioned references teach the use of containers for mounting a plurality of flexible litter disposal bags. When one litter bag is used, the bag is removed for disposal, and a subsequent fresh bag is exposed for immediate use.
It is also known in the prior art to provide a container with a leak-proof or insulating liner for storing various types of liquids. U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,628 issued Jul. 26, 1966 discloses a carton in which a flexible molded plastic drum is locked into position for safe shipping.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,821 issued Dec. 23, 1975 to Dunning teaches the use of a flexible plastic liner adhered to the inner walls of a cardboard carton. The liner is sealed to the carton by a vacuum heat shrink process.
The laminated container taught by Bamburg, U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,482 issued Oct. 7, 1975 provides two layers of leak-proof liner which are glued together to seal overlapping seams.
In normal use, medical waste containers may be moved between various facility rooms or collection areas, as they are gradually filled with waste. When the containers are moved about, the covers are temporarily secured in place atop the main container. Many prior art medical waste containers include lids or covers that are semi-permanently attachable to the container. The lids should be securely placed on the container when the box is moved about, but the lids should be easily releasable and quickly foldable to an out-of-the way position. Often there are slots or access ports defined in the body of the container that facilitate grasping and manipulation. For example, with suitable end slots defined in the body, a firm grasp may be achieved by inserting one's fingers at least partially into the ports. However, inadvertent contact with the box contents, such as syringes, must be avoided.
Corrugated or paperboard containers such as those described in the aforementioned references have a wide variety of uses other than medical applications. For example, boxes constructed substantially as described in aforementioned in U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,527, can be effectively utilized as food or beverage coolers. Many such designs are both durable and wear resistant, so that a hefty load of ice may be stored. Moreover, the slotless construction inherently prevents leaks. However, when a cooler is heavily loaded and handled roughly there is inevitable degradation over time. The handles are particularly vulnerable to weakening over time. Known handle constructions serve a dual purpose. For example, it is desirable for some containers such as portable medical waste containers to have a removable top that can be selectively, temporarily locked in place, and then easily unlatched and removed. It is known to connect various handle slots with suitable tabs for fastening the box top. Secondly and more obviously, the handles provide a convenient grasping point for manually toting the container about. As the handles are contacted vigorously and often strained by twisting and bending forces, they tend to weaken and break down over time.
We have found it desirable to provide a ruggedize handle construction that can be incorporated in the folding design of slotless, corrugated containers. By aligning multiple, properly scored slots in both end panels and folding corner panels, a ruggedized construction results.